Suck It, USA, We Have a Club for Companies That Are Older Than Your Entire Country

Rule Britannia: so we might have allowed the USA to declare independence back in 1776, but y'know what? We have an actual club for companies that are over 300 years old, and still in the hands of their rightful owners. America, you could be both those things if you hadn't thrown a stroppy fit at us way back then.

It's called the Tercentenarian Club, and it's got barely a dozen members. You've probably only heard of one of them -- Fortnum and Mason -- but they span a wide range of industries, including including a wine merchant, a butcher, a hat maker, a ribbon manufacturer, a builder and boatyard owner. Somehow, there's even a candlestick maker. But if you can tell me how a candlestick maker can be surviving in 2013, you're a cleverer man than me.

If you needed any more proof that Awesome Britain still survives, this is it. Screw David Cameron's Big Society. Screw Labour's One Nation Party. Stuff like this is why we're British and proud. Anyone for crumpets, tea and giving the French a jolly good thrashing? [Telegraph]